Widowmakers
Fear is part of being a soldier. With all that war can bring, there is nothing quite like the terror and confusion caused when a sniper strikes. Even amidst the base carnage of war, to see an officer, a comrade, a brother, struck down without warning can be devastating.No Quarter #5 The Widowmakers of Khador are elite scouts and snipers who can eliminate enemy of cers unseen or disable hulking warjacks with equal ease. The fear and disorder they can cause at a safe distance is legendary. They are one of the most hated and feared weapons in the Khadoran arsenal, a legend in their own country, used as examples of patriotism, skill, and dedication. History Hunting guns of all sorts have been used in the Khadoran military since the army was initiated by King Makaros Taranovi, the Oath-Maker, Khador’s first king. It was common for soldiers of old to bring their own rearms with them for service. Early “snipers” were simply skilled marksmen used by officers to harass the pickets of the enemy before battle, and had no official position. The earliest recorded “sharp-shooter regiment” was used in the weeks leading up to the First Thornwood war in 510-511 AR. On King Vygor’s orders, Kommander Zavis Kolov requested the best hunters and riflemen from throughout Khador. In conjunction with a detachment of Kossite woodsmen they swept the Upper Thornwood, killing all Cygnaran scouts and patrols to prepare for the Khadoran invasion. Without their work, the enemy would have learned of the massive build up of ‘jacks and men on the border. Kolov divided the riflemen and Kossites into small teams to take advantage of accuracy and stealth. This was unheard of in the Khadoran military where common battlefield wisdom relied on overwhelming the enemy with force. The success of the tactic was undeniable. Cygnaran scouts and militia at Fellig were so disturbed they blamed the Thornwood itself. Reports were ignored as madness or fatigue. No Khadoran rifleman was ever found and the invasion preparations went on in secrecy. Despite Khador’s ultimate defeat in the war, “Kolov’s Widowmakers” were one of the few things that worked well for Khador in the conflict. Kolov first used the moniker in an address to the troops in the aftermath of the war. “We did not reach our goal. But know this; our enemy is not victorious. There are countless widows in Cygnar whose weeping reminds the Southerners of what it costs to face the might of Khador. Take pride in that, my widow-makers...” The name has been used ever since. This new type of stealthy squad became a perfect fit for the “New Khador” as the kingdom licked its wounds and rebuilt its army. When a new king was crowned, the military leaders began to assemble a plan for an ongoing unit dedicated to sharp shooting, stealth, and survival. By 518 AR the Widowmakers were fully commissioned and operational. Training Recruited from all ranks and branches of the military, current Widowmakers are trained in Volningrad at Kolov Academy. Officers nominate those soldiers or trainees who show exceptional talent in sharp shooting. It is a great honor to be chosen for this elite service — entry into the Widowmakers is limited to one hundred and fifty students per year. If they are accepted, the new recruit will spend the next twelve months in rigid training separated from the rest of the army. None of the normal ceremony and pomp is in practice at Kolov Academy. All recruits are treated equally, with no regard to previous rank or social position. The program at the academy is focused on forging recruits into not only capable riflemen and survivalists, but unquestioning solders willing to eliminate any target, even other Khadorans, if ordered to do so. Recruits are divided into four-man teams with five teams assigned to a single seasoned kapitan who serve as their trainer until graduation. Initial weeks are spent in constant physical training and tactics indoctrination, laying the foundations of what will follow. From learning about the assembly of warjacks to learn weak points, to tracking kapitans through the snow, recruits gain the aptitudes that will allow them to survive. This segment of the training begins to cement the concept that they are the best of the best, a breed apart from the rest of the Khadoran military. After the early weeks, recruits progress to more direct training regarding marksmanship and concentration. Recruits must learn to accurately fire under all conditions. The kapitans will conduct rifle exercises in all weather, adding smoke, noise, lack of sleep, and even other recruits moving into the line of fire. Target acquisition, proper breathing, and positioning are also taught. This develops the Widowmaker’s patience and ability to focus on the target to the exclusion of all else. Early training is supplemented by competition with other four man teams. With each squad attempting to outperform the other in exercises such as rifle drills, target practice, and endurance tests. This competition is fueled by kapitans and sets the tone for the next few months at the academy. At stake are extra rations, letters from home, and precious time off. Squads that excel are rewarded; those who fail suffer. Not only is advanced marksmanship developed, this is also a point in the training where the tactics of effectively shooting warjacks are introduced. Heavily armored ‘jacks are difficult to take down with normal arms fire. The Widowmakers study and drill to acquire knowledge of the function and assembly of these constructs, learning to focus on specific systems. It is a graduation requirement for every team to disable a charging and battle-ready warjack before it reaches them. Not only is success a requirement, many trainees have lost their lives due to ill-placed shots or hesitation under pressure. Whittling warjacks down with rifle fire is only one function expected of Widowmakers. Reconnaissance, border patrols to snipe foreign spies, and even the practice of killing wounded soldiers to avoid their capture are all part of their charter. Academy discipline is used to harden recruits to be prepared to follow orders under any contingency. A recruit guilty of violating the rules or insubordination is executed by a firing squad comprised of his own team. Every Widowmaker is prepared to eliminate any target at the command of his kapitan, without question. As indoctrination continues and sharp-shooting training escalates, trainees are introduced to concepts and tactics of stealth, tracking, and camou age. The ability not only to remain still and undetected, but also to reposition quietly and cover ones tracks are stressed. In an exercise known as “Rabbit and Hound” recruits must evade two of the academy’s trained argus hounds while circumnavigating the facility. The infirmary is often full of those who fail to grasp the finer points of evasion. In the sixth month of training, field exercises begin. Teams are tasked with tracking and capturing competing teams in the forests surrounding the academy. Although no live ammunition is used, teams may use any non-lethal means they can think of to bring the other teams down. Improvisation and creativity are encouraged. In the final week, in the heart of the Khadoran winter, recruit teams are delivered to remote locations, separate from each other. They are stripped of their overcoats and boots, given no equipment or food of any kind, told simply to return to Kolov Academy. What they are not told is they will be stalked by the kapitans, and two veteran Widowmaker units who will attempt to hinder their approach. All of the skills of survival and conditioning will be put to the test. The first dozen teams to reach the gate graduate; the others are dismissed, returning to the regular army in disfavor. Previous rank is not restored and they are often reassigned to remote and unsavory posts to complete their required service. Less than fifty percent of each year’s trainees will graduate from the program. Upon graduation, they receive a rank and are assigned to a Widowmaker contingent in the field or a newly promoted kapitan. Although they are subject to military hierarchy, the branch is ultimately accountable to and funded by Widowmaker Command at Volningrad, whose Kommandant reports to the High Kommand. Once assigned, the Widowmakers segregate themselves from the rest of the forces; maintaining separate barracks and dining together. They are equipped directly from Volningrad when possible, allowing a higher standard of supplies and rations. It is widely held among the ranks that Widowmakers earn what they get. Tactical Overview When open conflict is not at hand, Widowmaker units are utilized most often in reconnaissance; probing the defenses of Khador’s potential enemies. This also involves patrols along the borders to intercept spies and smugglers, supplementing the border forces in places where large numbers of troops cannot be spared. This might also extend to clandestine missions within the interior of another nation. In times of more active engagement, Widowmaker units are attached to divisions to act as forward scouts, harass enemy supply lines, and eliminate opposing of cers as early in an encounter as possible. Most generals will deploy Widowmakers ahead of the main body, holding them until the enemy is distracted by upcoming conflict. Once engaged, a few well-placed shots from hidden positions can destroy the command structure and dismantle battle plans on the spot. This is the time when Widowmaker training in the destruction of warjacks can cripple an enemy before the battle begins. In worst-case scenarios, Widowmakers cover retreats. They can pin down pursuers, keep their troops from capture, and disappear only to redeploy and strike again. In 605 AR, as the invasion of Llael began, the Widowmakers were called on to keep the advance of the main army secret. Llael had outposts and signal towers along Llael’s northwestern border from Redwall to Merywyn, intended to alert the capital and their Cygnaran allies of any forces moving through the region. Within the first few hours of the conflict, Widowmaker snipers silenced all seven outposts. Even more notable during the Llael invasion were the exploits of Kapitan Natalya Naryski. Already one of the most famous Widowmakers, her four-man team pinned down the entire garrison of twenty at Elsinberg Tower for two days. Arriving ahead of schedule, her squad’s rifle fire kept word from reaching Merywyn and bought enough time for main force to arrive. The Widowmakers continue to be an integral part of Khadoran military tactics, and operations rarely take place without their support. They played a key role not only in the occupation of Llael, but subsequent Thornwood battles. Recently, they have seen action in the forest borders as deep as Corvis and Pt. Borne. The High Kommand takes pride in the Widowmakers as an impressive and effective tool for terror, assassination, and battlefield control. Notable Units * Widowmaker Scouts * Widowmaker Marksman References Category:Khador Category:Warmachine Category:Organisations